This week is National School Choice week! As a proud independent, not-for-profit school, we believe that there is a school for every student. Even as we value our own unique approach to serving neurodiverse students, we celebrate the diversity of educational options in our community, and congratulate our colleagues for promoting learning during another (very challenging) year. At TGS, we believe that each student has special strengths and interests. By building on these strengths, we empower students to overcome any challenges that may prevent them from accessing their full potential.

As a parent, you are the expert on your child, and therefore, you have what it takes to determine the type of education that best serves your learner’s needs. Asking yourself some key questions can help you determine the attributes you’d like to find in a school.

• What are your deepest wishes for your child? Do you want your child to go to college? Receive training for a trade? TGS provides individualized transition activities to prepare students for a range of next steps.
• Who do you envision your child becoming? The adolescent years are a prime time for teens to define their own identities. At TGS, staff advisors help students identify actions that will help them become the people they want to be.
• What do you hope for your child’s future? Independence? Social connection? A satisfying career? TGS can help, by encouraging students to develop their own goals, supporting them with social skills prompts, and helping them identify their dreams for the future.
• Where does your student excel and where does your student need support? What are your child’s strengths? Where does your learner experience challenges? Knowing the answers to these questions can have a profound impact on your child’s school experience. At TGS, we believe in growth from strengths, and we empathetically support our students when they run into areas of difficulty.

After you answer these questions, envision the ideal learning environment for your student. What does the physical environment look like? What types of instructional approaches will teachers provide? Does your student need the opportunity to engage in a special interest? In what student-to-teacher ratio would your learner best thrive? At TGS, we use a socio-academic approach in small class sizes with highly-qualified content teachers and student support team members available at all times to help students engage in all aspects of their learning. Whether they need help understanding a concept, maintaining their focus, or working with others in a group, we’ve got it covered.

We believe wholeheartedly in our socio-academic programming for middle-school- and high-school-aged neurodiverse students, but we also know that one size does not fit all learners. Many other independent schools offer wonderful programs to the students for whom their programs are tailored. We invite you to check us out, and also encourage you to consider the variety of other independent schools that might suit your learner. For more information on education settings where your child might be happy and thrive, check out the websites for the National Association of Independent Schools, the Association of Colorado Independent Schools, and National School Choice Week. We wish you the best as you look for the right-fit school for your learner.